1.) Yes
2.) Yes
3.) Yes
Congratulations on getting in! The acceptance rate is going to be pretty low this year, based on last year’s over-enrollment.
The people who matter know about Bates.
Your parents are being ridiculous, frankly. If you go into Bates knowing that your intent is to transfer out as soon as possible, you are not going to enjoy your experience or get the most out of it. If your parents are really that concerned, tell them to look at this year’s USNWR rankings, where it’s ranked at #22, just below West Point and Wesleyan. They can look at Forbes list too, where Bates ranks #8 for Liberal Arts Colleges in the nation. They can look at Princeton Review, where it’s ranked in the Top 50 Colleges that Pay You Back. They can look at the Fulbright Scholars list, where it’s ranked #1. Bates grads have a very high acceptance rate to grad schools.
Your parents changing their mind is not a solid reason for you to want to transfer. Frankly, your ability to get into more prestigious colleges is going to likely be dependent on you getting very good prof recommendations and being very involved in campus life. Ask yourself if you are willing to invest the time and energy required to do all that stuff just so you can leave. Getting good prof recs means you will need not just good grades, but also to actively participate in class. Then you’re going to transfer out? Bear in mind that Harvard, for example, is not going to be interested in your parents’ desire for you to transfer for the sake of prestige. You will need explicit and demonstrable reasons why XYZ college is the place you need to be.
And just to be gauche, there are plenty of really rich kids at Bates (along with plenty of not-rich kids), but you’d never know it, because they’re just regular nice people. If your parents think you need to be rubbing shoulders with those who exude a “Lifestyles of the Rich and Famous” aura, Bates isn’t the place for that. Tell them it’s not them going to college. It’s you. Their attitude is going to do you no favors at all.